Dear forum,
We live in Berlin and are about to purchase a building plot in Brandenburg:
- 1200 m² (13,000 sq ft)
- Building land according to §34
- No zoning plan; according to the building authority, 1.5 stories are permitted
- Formerly forest, completely cleared
We do not plan to live there permanently but want to use the plot for weekends and holidays. Ideally, we would have liked to simply put a mobile home or holiday cabin on the land and use it. But that is apparently not allowed, or at least a building permit is always required, and energy saving regulations must be met, correct?
What we want (if it has to be a "proper" residential house):
- 80–100 m² (860–1,080 sq ft) of living space
- Preferably with open ceilings and/or a gallery
- Fireplace
- Good connection between indoor living area and garden
- €150,000 (max. €200,000) plus additional construction costs
What are your suggestions for creating affordable living space? I am reluctant to finance a prefabricated house costing around €250,000–300,000 just for weekend use.
We have already looked at:
- Thule Kubus
- Nordic Haus Igelmann
- Bien-Zenker Ambience Bungalows - 77 - V4
We live in Berlin and are about to purchase a building plot in Brandenburg:
- 1200 m² (13,000 sq ft)
- Building land according to §34
- No zoning plan; according to the building authority, 1.5 stories are permitted
- Formerly forest, completely cleared
We do not plan to live there permanently but want to use the plot for weekends and holidays. Ideally, we would have liked to simply put a mobile home or holiday cabin on the land and use it. But that is apparently not allowed, or at least a building permit is always required, and energy saving regulations must be met, correct?
What we want (if it has to be a "proper" residential house):
- 80–100 m² (860–1,080 sq ft) of living space
- Preferably with open ceilings and/or a gallery
- Fireplace
- Good connection between indoor living area and garden
- €150,000 (max. €200,000) plus additional construction costs
What are your suggestions for creating affordable living space? I am reluctant to finance a prefabricated house costing around €250,000–300,000 just for weekend use.
We have already looked at:
- Thule Kubus
- Nordic Haus Igelmann
- Bien-Zenker Ambience Bungalows - 77 - V4
Nida35a schrieb:
Our bungalow ultimately turned out to be a mix of our weekend house, holiday home, and imagination. I find the window front and the high ceiling very appealing. Did you build completely on your own or with a homebuilding company?
11ant schrieb:
Trust someone who has been planning residential buildings for over 40 years that this is a bad idea. If the price per square meter bothers you, then look for shell houses, not in the range of Bien-Zenker / Schwörerhaus.
I live in a masonry house; the Trizonesier simply can’t deliver top quality. The eco-certification prices are actually in the market segment of tiny houses & Co., here somewhat less specific to the higher priced providers. So far, we have actually considered the big names:
- Weberhaus → First consultation on mylife 200
- Viebrockhaus → Only reviewed catalog
- Schwörerhaus → First consultation next week
Other manufacturers:
- K-Maeleon → cool concept
- Thule Log House → interesting, but more expensive construction
- Nordic House → interesting, but high costs
Which providers would you recommend? So far, many people, including experienced builders, told us you can only really save on painting, flooring, and plumbing, but not if you do heating yourself. Do you see this differently?
Tolentino schrieb:
We just discussed this here recently; Helma once offered a 100,000 EUR (about 100,000 USD) shell house. Maybe that’s an option. But I don’t know if they still do that or what exactly is included. Thanks for the tip, I’ll take a look at that provider!
ypg schrieb:
So 300,000–320,900 EUR (about 300,000–320,900 USD) without land?
For a monthly payment over 1000 EUR (about 1000 USD), I would lease a campervan for half that money or rent a dacha.
I wouldn’t want to commit to one location just for weekends or holidays. There are too many activities or events offered elsewhere.
For a second home? Is there any subsidy available?
Overall, owning property that you don’t oversee daily is never ideal.
What might be relevant for you: unregulated plots without building obligations can be used with a tiny house, camper, or similar. That sounds easy said, but you can’t just rent a dacha around here. Public listings are about 600 EUR (about 600 USD) rent... per month! We already have an old campervan, but with small children, it’s only partially practical for every weekend. I also want to use the place as a home office occasionally. Hence the idea of renting it out to reduce the financial burden.
Is the subsidy linked to the primary residence?
Patrick. schrieb:
So far, we have indeed looked at the big names: ... even though there is no shortage of smaller construction companies.
Patrick. schrieb:
We already have an old camper van, ... and there is enough space on the property for a second one, which can also be used for different trips. The old one is there all the time, and sometimes the children sleep with their mom in one camper van and with their dad in the other, or both children in one camper van and the parents in the other. It’s something you’ll still look back on fondly years from now, when the older camper van eventually needs to be disposed of.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
... where there is certainly no shortage of small construction companies.
... and enough space on the property for a second one, which you can also use for other vacations. The old one is always there, and the kids sometimes sleep with mom in one motorhome and with dad in the other, or sometimes both kids together in one motorhome and the parents in the other. Even after many years, you still look back on that fondly when the older motorhome is ready to be scrapped. That was our original idea, and I would still favor it, but we were told that overnight stays in a motorhome on the property are not allowed. Of course, many people do it in practice. Ideally, just park the van, add another garden shed with a small integrated bathroom, and that’s it. I assumed life in Germany wouldn’t be that simple?
I’m happy to receive tips for small construction companies. I just lacked experience, so I initially turned to the big ones.
Patrick. schrieb:
The window front and the high ceiling are very appealing. Did you build completely on your own or with a home building company? MH Mein Haus, Nauen Ulmenstraße, this is a small regional general contractorPatrick. schrieb:
That was our original idea, and I would still prefer it, but we were told that staying overnight in a motorhome on the property is not allowed. Of course, many people do that anyway. Ideally, just park the van there, add another garden shed with a built-in small bathroom, and that’s it. I assumed life in Germany wouldn’t be that complicated? I suspect there is a misunderstanding between you and the building authority. No zoning or development regulation requires you to build your house as large as your neighbors’. Build your masonry shed according to the energy saving regulations: a heated enclosed room with all utility connections and an integrated guest toilet with shower, plus a main room with an exclusive kitchen area about 12 sqm (130 sq ft) in size (as far as I know, no state prison law requires a larger single cell). Then I don’t see any reason to deny you the building permit. Whether you park a bicycle or a motorhome next to your house is purely a private matter. Once registered and insured, a motorhome is considered a motor vehicle, even if it’s not driven between technical inspections and gas safety checks. Even placing it on blocks to prevent tire flat spots doesn’t change that. Park your one or two motorhomes next to your house. Just don’t call the building a “tiny house,” because that term alone doubles the square meter price from the general contractor and confuses the building permit officer.
Patrick. schrieb:
I’m happy to get tips for small construction companies. I simply lacked experience and initially ran into the big ones. No, you first run into those so small they only dare to enter the market under the umbrella of a franchise. The big names are often just nominal general contractors, excluding their legal and marketing departments. The truly large general contractors or building firms are usually known only regionally.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
G
GeradeSchräg29 Sep 2021 19:12Patrick. schrieb:
Which suppliers would you generally recommend? So far, many people, including those experienced in construction, have told us that you can only really save money on painting, flooring, and plumbing, but not if you do heating yourself. Do you see this differently? Well, here’s how I see it. You always save money by doing DIY work yourself; the only question is to what extent. With painting, the materials make up a small part of the total costs, so there is naturally a significant potential to save.
Of course, companies want to make it clear that, for example, you won’t save much on heating because material costs there are a much larger percentage. In my opinion, though, that’s just how the suppliers calculate it. From what I see, they often charge the homeowner the manufacturer’s recommended retail price (RRP) for heating components. However, if you purchase the equipment independently—perhaps online—you can get it about 30% cheaper, so savings are possible here as well. You should be aware, though, that manufacturers provide warranties on their work, which you won’t have if you buy your materials as cheaply as possible from various sources.
Another factor is the time required. You should only take on a full interior fit-out if you have the necessary expertise and are prepared to spend many days, weeks, or even months on-site.
Patrick. schrieb:
So far, we have actually considered the major brands:
- Weberhaus → initial consultation on mylife 200
- Viebrockhaus → only looked through the catalogue
- Schwörerhaus → first consultation next week
Other manufacturers:
- K-Maeleon → cool concept
- Thule Blockhaus → interesting, but more expensive construction
- Nordic Haus → interesting, but high costs I only know the first three. The holiday home segment is beyond my budget =D
Additionally, I could mention Haas, although I don’t know much about the company; I just saw that they also offer relatively small bungalows in modular construction.
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